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Rick
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
Posts: 22447
Location: UK
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 Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 6:38 pm Post subject: "Under-wheeled" old cars |
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Evening all,
Following on from a point that badhuis made (see below), which classics do look a little under-endowed in the wheel size department, in your eyes?
I had a similar discussion with a friend of mine only the other day, while perusing a Rolls-Royce Camargue that's due a little TLC. The wheels, the rear track in particular, look a little out of place IMO.
Factory photo:
Badhuis' original post:
"There are some cars for which I think bigger wheels would suit it better. Not that I am a big fan of the huge wheels nowadays, but there was a time (sixties) when it was "modern" to go to smaller wheels. Austin Westminster (a big car) only had 14" and went even further to 13". Hillman Minx had 15" which looked good on the car, and got 13" at the end. One of the many mis-steps the car factories made in the mid to late sixties."
RJ
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1954
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 6:49 pm Post subject: |
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I 'think' this was done to improve ride & handling.
Skoda did similar with the Estelle...originally on 14 inch wheels, they went down to 13 inch..handling improved. [already top-notch good, anyway....only spoilt by drivers who didn't 'know' how to corner correctly!!] |
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badhuis
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 6:58 pm Post subject: |
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The Alvis TD/E/F series is one example:
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Rick
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badhuis
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:38 pm Post subject: |
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The MG TC is beautifully proportioned whereas its successor is a bit under wheeled.
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47Jag
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 1480
Location: Bothwell, Scotland
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47Jag
Joined: 26 Jun 2008
Posts: 1480
Location: Bothwell, Scotland
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badhuis
Joined: 20 Aug 2008
Posts: 1390
Location: Netherlands
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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Most post-sixties Bristols have wheels too small:
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Rick
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1954
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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What about 'rolling radius', when comparing the likes of a TC MG, with a TD?
Plus, there's what's available in new tyre technologies from the tyre makers?
Smaller wheel/tyre diameter means less heavy stuff flailing around on each corner?
Appearance, versus better dynamics? |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1954
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 7:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Rick wrote: | Yet somehow the original Minis look just right on tiddly 10" wheels, I think.
RJ |
And..they went up in size as the years passed?
To do with 'tyre availability', perhaps? |
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mikeC
Joined: 31 Jul 2009
Posts: 1775
Location: Market Warsop, Nottinghamshire
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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Smaller wheels were fitted to allow for larger (wider) tyres, thus improving the ride, roadholding and handling. The low profile tyres with which we are now familiar did not appear until the late 1980s. and then they had only a 70 or 80 aspect ratio.
In the main I think classics look better with their original wheel/tyre size, although I agree that later versions of what is basically the same car - say a Hillman Minx - look better on their earlier specification wheels - but I bet they don't ride and handle as well!
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 4756
Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
I used to instruct on 10" wheel minis, when doing a TiR, if the road was a bit too wide the car would be at right angles to the kerb at the end oif the first move and if the pupil didn't stop in time the gearbox hit the kerb edge because it protruded forward of the tyres.
I had an idea that some of the later ones had 12" wheels. I am just imagining that?
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Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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Bitumen Boy
Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 1735
Location: Above the snow line in old Monmouthshire
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Penman wrote: | Hi
I used to instruct on 10" wheel minis, when doing a TiR, if the road was a bit too wide the car would be at right angles to the kerb at the end oif the first move and if the pupil didn't stop in time the gearbox hit the kerb edge because it protruded forward of the tyres.
I had an idea that some of the later ones had 12" wheels. I am just imagining that? |
12" wheels became standard after, IIRC, 1984, though of course people had been fitting them as a mod for a long time before that. I suspect the factory started fitting the larger wheels as a simple and cheap method of raising the gearing on a car that was already rather long in the tooth by then. My last one was an '87 model that was quite happy doing an (indicated) 80mph on the M5 when the occasion demanded it. |
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alastairq
Joined: 14 Oct 2016
Posts: 1954
Location: East Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:39 pm Post subject: |
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| ......................and enabled the fitting of larger brakes, perhaps? |
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